A New Wristband, Nymi, Unlocks Belongings With Your Heartbeat So You Won't Have To Lift A Finger

Toronto-based startup Bionym launched a wristband that will unlock your devices based on your heartbeat.

Heartbeats, like fingerprints, are unique to every individual. But Bionym thinks lifting a finger is too labor intensive. Instead, your device should know who you are automatically.

Wear the wristband, called Nymi, and an embedded electrocardiogram sensor recognizes your heartwaves and auto-authenticates all of your devices. No more memorizing passwords because you are the password.

The wristband just launched for pre-order at $79 (though the price will jump to $99 after the first 25,000 devices get snatched up).

Nymi also touts both a proximity sensor and a motion detector, and its promotional video explores the realm of possibilities: you could pop your car's trunk with the flick of a wrist, pay for coffee without reaching for your wallet, or open hotel room doors simply by standing in front of them.

“We don’t view this as just a product to unlock your devices, smartphones, etc.," CEO Karl Martin told TechCrunch. "Those are security applications. We’re looking beyond that to smart environments. How do we enable hyper-personalized experience?"

Bionym was founded in 2011 and recently raised a $1.4 million seed round of financing.

Nymi promises to open source its API, so the possibilities, from gaming to banking, could as vast as developer creativity. What remains to be seen, however, is if anyone will actually want to wear one.